DEPARTMENT of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman was honored with the prestigious Gawad Kapayapaan Award on Monday, September 30, 2024. The award was presented by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU).
Secretary Pangandaman was recognized for her contributions to peace and economic development in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). As co-chair of the Intergovernmental Relations Body (IGRB), she led the activation of all seven IGRB mechanisms in less than a year and proudly presented its 3rd Progress Report to the President last July 31.
“As a proud daughter of Mindanao, this mission holds a deep personal significance for me. The vision of peace and development in BARMM is something that lives in my heart — a flame that burns brightly. I have seen first-hand how conflict can scar communities, but I also know that hope and peace can transform lives,” the Budget chief shared in her acceptance speech.
Secretary Pangandaman was also a key figure in the establishment of the Marawi Compensation Board (MCB), which enabled socioeconomic recovery in the region. She also launched the Public Financial Management Competency Program (PFMCP) in BARMM to empower the region’s PFM practitioners.
As the only Muslim Filipina in PBBM’s Cabinet, the Budget chief also champions women empowerment and financing with gender perspective. She led the Philippine delegation and spoke at the United Nations’ 68th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women in March 2024.
“Our government is committed to peace building through real and concrete actions because, at the end of the day, peace begins with us. It starts with what we are willing to give, what we are willing to sacrifice for the greater good,” Secretary Pangandaman said.
Gawad Kapayapaan recognizes exemplary individuals and institutions that made invaluable contributions toward promoting and attaining just and lasting peace in the country. Professor Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, Ghazali Jaafar, also known as Hajji Salik B. Abu, and the Municipal Government of Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte were also recipients of the prestigious award.
With the theme “Bagong Pilipinas—Transforming Minds, Transforming Lives,” the Gawad Kapayapaan 2024 Awarding Ceremony serves as the culminating activity for this year’s National Peace Consciousness Month celebration, spearheaded by OPAPRU./PN
